Shir Magic: Remembering Rabbi Jerry Brieger z’l, Featuring Alan Goodis and a Special Appearance by the Temple Emanuel Band – Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: adults $20, kids $10, families $40 (max of 2 adults and unlimited kids)
Author: Rabbi Michael Farbman
Tot Shabbat and Potluck Dinner – October 27th, 2017
Looking for fun with your little one? Come to the Tot Shabbat at Temple Emanuel! Friday, October 27 at 5:30 pm Tot Shabbat, followed by Dairy Potluck dinner.
To sign up for the potluck, please follow this link!
The Ner Tamid and other metal works of art at Temple Emanuel by Gary Rappaport
Shortly after my daughter Rebecca was born in 1971 and my family moved to Orange Connecticut, I finally found a synagogue that I loved going to and coincided with my Jewish philosophy. I volunteered for many different projects at TE. Among them was remodeling the barn, remodeling the house, serving in many different ways such as; committee member, committee chairperson, helping run Friday night services and the ultimate commitment was becoming president in 1989.
My vocation is in general dentistry and since I like working with my hands as well as my mind in a very confined space, when the opportunity came along to use the art part of art and science and to work in a large format, I decided to attend the Creative
Arts Workshop in New Haven. I took up metal sculpture with my teacher and mentor Ann Lehman.
In 1989, Temple Emanuel started to knock down the barn and build a new sanctuary. When it was basically completed and the interior was being finished, I offered to make the Eternal Lamp. My project was accepted by the aesthetic committee. Subsequent to this project, in my free time I started my Jewish artifact phase of metal sculpture which included many menorahs (one donated to TE) and mezuzahs.
Rita Brieger came to me before Rabbi Jerry Brieger’s z’l birthday and asked if I could create something for the Temple relating to the Rabbi’s favorite passage from the Prophet Micah, addressing the relationship of what a good Jew would do in his daily life. I designed , built and constructed in copper, the words of this quotation and affixed them to the walls of the sanctuary.
It was brought to my attention that there was no outside sign on our new sanctuary building. I went back to my workshop, constructed more letters and attached them to the outside of the building.
Niomi Klotz, after her husband passed away, gave me a copper tray that reminded me of a ten commandments tablet and asked if I could make something of that in honor of her husband, Alan. At the time, people complained that the Shabbat candle wax was getting on the table so I re-purposed the tray to hold the candles. I decorated the tray with cast bronze figures of Torah, candelabra, wine glasses and a challah.
My last project occurred after the free standing house was eliminated and new offices and school were added to the sanctuary. Anne Eisner, who was designing and planting a garden in front of the structure asked if I could create a sculpture for this garden. I built and “planted” a copper and brass flower that never needs watering.
Olga Markus, Religious School Director
Olga Markus was born and raised in the former Soviet Union and played an active role in resurgence of Jewish life and practice there in the early 1990s. Olga holds a Master’s Degree in Russian Language and Literature and an MA in Religious Education from University of London. Olga has over 20 years of experience as a Jewish educator and non-profit professional, with diverse international involvement in Jewish education, project and grant management, and vision-driven program design. In her professional career Olga worked as Senior Educator at West London Synagogue in London, UK; Regional Director of Education for the World Union of Reform Judaism in Russia; Educator in Residence at the Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington DC, and Assistant Executive Director at the Council of Jewish Émigré Community Organizations in New York City. She is passionate about Jewish learning, values, practice, Israel, and community life. Olga is proud to be a member of Temple Emanuel community and is excited to work with dedicated TE lay leaders and professional team to help TE Religious School go from strength to strength.
Days of Awe on the horizon.
My first summer as TE’s president has been relatively quiet. School is not in session, summertime services have been beautifully planned and led by fellow congregants, and Rabbi Farbman and the Spain travelers have returned from what they say was a fabulous trip. I am acutely aware, however, that these lazy, crazy days of summer are numbered… the High Holidays have appeared on the horizon, and I feel we are racing toward them at light-speed.
Our tradition teaches that these holidays, and the Days of Awe between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, are most meaningful for us if we prepare for them in advance. How are we to take time and focus away from our daily chores and activities to prepare for examining our behavior over the past year, recognize our shortcomings and misdeeds, and seek a way to come closer to God?
Our tradition suggests that during the month of Elul before the High Holidays, God is particularly accessible. I thought about this recently when I visited our cemetery, and read the headstones of so many of my friends, mentors, colleagues, fellow congregants. At each grave, I stood a few moments and thought about each of them – what they believed, how they laughed, what I learned from each. I stood at the grave of my close friend and mentor, Rabbi Jerry Brieger Z”L. Before Jerry welcomed me into TE 40 years ago, I had no personal tradition of celebrating the High Holidays. Rabbi Brieger’s gentle yet learned style enticed me to participate in these traditions, to reflect on what I had done and who I wanted to be, and to prepare for a new beginning as the new year was born. That first Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur for me was really the first time I had spent much time thinking of my accomplishments, my mistakes, my regrets, my hopes and my relationship with my fellow humans and with my God. As we completed the day of fasting and prayer on Yom Kippur, as one community singing together, the wonderful surprise I had not anticipated was my sense of redemption, intense love and real hope for the future.
This year, my preparation for the Days of Awe began as I stood in the cemetery with my beloved Jerry, thinking of how lucky I was to have had such a guide and loving friend. I do not know how many more Days of Awe I have on this planet. I do know that our tradition of introspection, repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness, gives me the opportunity to find again my true self, my purpose, my appreciation of all that life offers, and my hope for our future together.
I hope each of you might also have the opportunity to build again a whole heart as we prepare for the Holidays. I look forward to seeing you at synagogue.
High Holy Days 5778 (2017) schedule
Kol Nidrei (Erev Yom Kippur) Friday 9/29/2017 8 pm
Yom Kippur Morning Saturday, 9/30/2017 10 am
Children’s Yom Kippur Service Saturday, 9/30/2017 9:45 am
Study session with Rabbi Farbman “To Fast or Not to Fast: Is This a Yom Kippur Question?” (approx. 1 pm)
Yom Kippur Mincha, Yizkor and Neila Saturday, 9/30/2017 4.00 pm
(5:30 pm Yizkor) Havdalah 7:00 pm
Erev Sukkot Wednesday 10/4/2017 6:30 PM
Erev Simchat Torah Wednesday 10/11/17 6:00 PM
Shanah Tovah! May the New Year be filled with learning!
What a whirlwind of a summer it has been! I was privileged to attend the Rabbinic Torah Seminar at Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and engage in 10 days of profoundly impactful learning, together with some 150 colleagues from the United States, Israel, and Europe. We explored the last 100 years of Jewish history, based on key dates that have shaped the modern Israel: 1917 – the Balfour Declaration was signed, 1947 – the UN voted on partition plan, and 1967 – the 6 Day War occurred. I was greatly impressed by the faculty of Shalom Hartman and have expanded and deepened my knowledge and understanding of the narratives that surround the modern Jewish state. 
I am delighted to announce that I will be offering the Hartman ‘iEngage: Israel’s Milestones and Their Meanings’ course this year at Temple Emanuel. It explores the pivotal events of 1917, 1947, and 1967 as key moments when Zionism unleashed new thinking about the meaning of Jewishness for generations to come. This iEngage series grapples with the different ideas and values that shape the meaning of modern Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity today. Together we will engage in a new values-based discourse about Israel, including topics such as nationhood, land, Sovereignty, Jerusalem, Occupation and Moral Red Lines. You can read more about the course and the schedule here, and registration is now open – I hope that many of TE members use this wonderful opportunity to engage in serious learning and conversation. The course will be taught on Sunday mornings and will begin on October 15th.
This is the year we mark the 70th anniversary of the State of Israel, and there will be multiple occasions to celebrate, to learn, and to engage with Israel in this coming year at TE. I am delighted to share with you that Julian Resnick, a master educator and travel guide (who guided our journey through Spain this year), will be leading the TE trip to Israel next summer, July 15-26, 2018. More details, including cost and program highlights will be available soon, but please mark your calendars now for this exciting TE Travels opportunity!
Last but not least, I am honored to share with all of you that I have been accepted into the Masters in Sacred Theology program at Yale Divinity school. I will pursue this program part-time over the course of the next two years as part of my sabbatical, deepening my knowledge and skills. I am extremely grateful to Temple Emanuel for this wonderful opportunity, and I cannot wait to begin my classes!
I wish you all Shanah Tovah, a Happy New Year 5778, and may it be filled with a joy of learning for all of us!
HIGH HOLY DAYS FOOD PROJECT 2017 / 5778
Dear Temple Emanuel Congregants:
For the twenty fourth consecutive year, Temple Emanuel will participate in the High Holy Days Food Project. The food we collect will be divided between the food pantries of both Jewish Family Service (JFS) and the Town of Orange’s Human Services Department where they help feed the many needy among us.
When you come to the synagogue for services on Kol Nidre night (Friday, September 29th) or on Yom Kippur (Saturday, September 30th), please be as amazingly generous as you’ve always been in the past. Maybe even more so this year! Once again, please bring as many bags and cartons as you can filled to the brim with boxes, jars, and cans of non-perishable food. Perhaps a trip to Costco, BJ’s, or Sam’s Club would allow you to purchase in bulk. If necessary, we’ll even help you carry in the food from your car.
Suggested items: pasta, pasta sauce, canned veggies, peanut butter, dry milk, coffee, tea bags, canned tuna / chicken / turkey, soup, canned fruit, macaroni & cheese, flour, sugar, rice, boxed potatoes, chili, baby & toddler foods, ‘meals-in-a-can’ like beef stew, hash, & hearty soups, salt-free foods for people with hypertension and sugar-free foods for people with diabetes. Food need not be labeled as kosher. We will even accept dog & cat food, toiletries, and paper products like toilet paper as this will certainly help folks stretch their food dollars as well as help them care for their loving pets.
Please note: Please do not bring old, out-dated, leftover, or open packages. We just wind up throwing these away as they are unusable.
As you can imagine, the need this year is greater than ever. We’re counting on you to help support this important tzedakah project and these two agencies as they serve the needy right here in our own local communities.
Thank you!
Michael Farbman Alan Kliger Will Sherman
Rabbi President Coordinator, Food Drive
iEngage: Israel’s Milestones and Their Meanings A Shalom Hartman Institute Lecture and Study Series Led by Rabbi Michael Farbman
Through video lectures, text study, and lively group discussion, we are pleased to bring the world-renowned faculty of the Shalom Hartman Institute into the Temple Emanuel community this fall.
iEngage: Israel’s Milestones and Their Meanings explores the pivotal events of 1917, 1947, and 1967 as key moments when Zionism unleashed new thinking about the meaning of Jewishness for generations to come. Memory is a central element in defining modern Jewish identity. As we look to Israel’s future, we need to engage anew with our past and explore its meanings and consequences. This iEngage series grapples with the different ideas and values that shape the meaning of modern Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity today. Together we will engage in a new values-based discourse about Israel, including topics such as: nationhood, land, Sovereignty, Jerusalem, Occupation and Moral Red Lines.
Each session includes text study and discussion led by Rabbi Michael Farbman, and video lectures and roundtable discussions with leading Hartman scholars.
Sundays | Oct 15 & 29, Nov 19, Dec 3, Jan 7 & 21, Feb 4 & 25, Mar 18 (snow date) 10:15 – 11:45 am
Cost including materials: $ 36.
Jewish Teen Education – JTE
JTE Open House and March of the Living Information Session
Tuesday, September 5 | 7 p.m. | JCC of Greater New Haven
March of the Living is a an annual educational program which brings students from around the world to Poland, where they explore the remnants of the Holocaust, visiting concentration camp sites and then traveling to Israel for Israeli Independence Day. The program will run in April 2018 and is open to all junior and seniors in high school. Leadership and representatives from March of the Living will be on hand on September 5th so come learn more and bring a friend! The open house will also be a great opportunity to sign up for JTE fall semester and classes.
For more info and to register follow this link
